Fuel tanks assembled from two plastic shells are known, and may comprise a stabilizing column or wall in the internal volume of the tank in order to limit deformations of the tank. Traditionally fuel systems in passenger vehicles are designed to hold a specific amount of liquid fuel at a pressure essentially the same as the ambient pressure. With the introduction of Hybrid vehicles and more specifically Plug in Hybrids, which are designed such that they could potentially go several months without using fuel, it is in the interest of the system designers to hold pressure inside the fuel tank to limit the emissions that could potentially bleed through the activated carbon canister due to diurnal cycles. In addition, holding pressure ensures that the composition of the fuel stays the same during storage. However, the tanks must be made resistant to this internal pressure. Therefore tank reinforcement can be realized by linking two opposite tank surfaces with each other using an internal connecting member.
It is known to form a stabilizing connecting member in the form of a pillar or wall using a first pillar or wall part.
The pillar may be made of two materials, comprising e.g. a first portion made of a first material compatible with HDPE and a second portion of a second material having a limited deformation and/or creep.